Feeding mineral ?

[ryanfarm]

I have been reading this board for about 3 years now. Lots of good info. Very helpful. I'm in Tennessee about 30 miles south of Nashville and been raising beef cattle for about 5 years now. I have a question about feeding mineral to my cows. I use what seems to work good to keep pink eye away is Co-Op (684) loose mineral with / Aureomycin. I put this out year round for them to lick on but seems like in the winter time they use it very little. Is this needed in the winter or just summer months ? Another mineral I put in the fields in winter time is Co-Op (1300) 25% Triple Trust lick tub mineral and in the summer I take away the lick tubs and use Field block mineral with rabon. My question is would it best to keep feeding the 200 lb. lick tubs in the summer also or take it away from them. They sure seem to love it. There are 3 large ponds on the place and I keep one at each pond and one at the barn but no need spending for that if not needed.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If you are feeding a well-balanced (for your area) loose mineral year round, that is all that is necessary - besides good grass/hay and clean water & a good health preventative program.
I wouldn't feed Aureomycin except when it is needed. You do understand that Aureo is an antibiotic? You should NEVER feed/give antibiotics when not needed.
I believe you can increase the iodine in your loose min for preventative for pinkeye.

 

[dun]

If you are feeding a well-balanced (for your area) loose mineral year round, that is all that is necessary - besides good grass/hay and clean water & a good health preventative program.
I wouldn't feed Aureomycin except when it is needed. You do understand that Aureo is an antibiotic? You should NEVER feed/give antibiotics when not needed.
I believe you can increase the iodine in your loose min for preventative for pinkeye.

Because of the high toxicity of the fescue around here a lot of producers feed CTC in the minerals

 

[TexasBred]

Ryan I don't see a problem with anything you're doing other than I would move those tubs away from the water source.

 

[kenny thomas]

Dun, your thoughts on the CTC, how much does it help?

 

[dun]

Dun, your thoughts on the CTC, how much does it help?

Don;t really know. We haven;t NOT used it in years. May be like the elephant repellent, ssems to work since we haven;t had any elephants in the yard. I know the cattle do well, rarely have any health issues so I figure it must be doing something good

 

[Angus Cowman]

Dun, your thoughts on the CTC, how much does it help?

Don;t really know. We haven;t NOT used it in years. May be like the elephant repellent, ssems to work since we haven;t had any elephants in the yard. I know the cattle do well, rarely have any health issues so I figure it must be doing something good

the only thing you have to watch is how much or I should say How little CTC some of the brands of mineral have in them
I don't feed any mineral without it
I just had to switch minerals because the one I was using they changed to a complete mineral with 25% salt added to it
I switched too a mineral ADM has that I have used in the past, but they don't offer here locally so I have to order a whole patch at a time which isn't to bad

 

[dun]

Dun, your thoughts on the CTC, how much does it help?

Don;t really know. We haven;t NOT used it in years. May be like the elephant repellent, ssems to work since we haven;t had any elephants in the yard. I know the cattle do well, rarely have any health issues so I figure it must be doing something good

the only thing you have to watch is how much or I should say How little CTC some of the brands of mineral have in them
I don't feed any mineral without it
I just had to switch minerals because the one I was using they changed to a complete mineral with 25% salt added to it
I switched too a mineral ADM has that I have used in the past, but they don't offer here locally so I have to order a whole patch at a time which isn't to bad

Funny, I tried the ADM stuff and ours never touched it. We feed Vigortone, haven;t gotten a new shipment lately, holding out for the IGR stuff to come in.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Funny, I tried the ADM stuff and ours never touched it. We feed Vigortone, haven;t gotten a new be nice lately, holding out for the IGR stuff to come in.

I doubt you tried this unless, because we had to call the Nebraska office to get the mix because they have never made this mineral down here it isn't their regualr fescue mineral it is a mineral mix I have fed before and they have added the CTC for me

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

OK ---- I give ---- what's CTC?

 

[BILL CLAYLAND]

My 3 head dont seem to want to touch it.
I feed free choice and have even tried wind and rain HI MAG by purina ($$).
they just turn thier nose to it.
When i grain em ill force feed some.

Bill

 

[TexasBred]

OK ---- I give ---- what's CTC?

Chlortetracycline

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Oh - duh - of course!

 

[Kingfisher]

Ryan I don't see a problem with anything you're doing other than I would move those tubs away from the water source.

Good morning. Ya'll getting any rain? Please tell me again why you suggest positioning the tubs away from the water source? Thanks in advance.

 

[TexasBred]

Ryan I don't see a problem with anything you're doing other than I would move those tubs away from the water source.

Good morning. Ya'll getting any rain? Please tell me again why you suggest positioning the tubs away from the water source? Thanks in advance.

No rain here..heck it's not even cloudy right now. Hopefully we'll get some latter in the week. If tubs are located too close to a water source the cattle will eat, get a drink and repeat often. Locating them farther away not only helps control intake but also encourages more complete grazing between the feed source and the water source. I'd even relocate the tubs each time I had to replace one in order to more completely utilize ALL grazing.

 

[TexasBred]

Oh - duh - of course!

Jeanne... ;-) some of us also use the terms Aureo, Aureomycin, Biomycin etc...all are CTC.

 

[Angus Cowman]

My 3 head dont seem to want to touch it.
I feed free choice and have even tried wind and rain HI MAG by purina ($$).
they just turn thier nose to it.
When i grain em ill force feed some.

Bill

I have noticed that any HI mag mineral is hard to get the cows to eat I have been told because Mag isn't very palatable
I usually don't feed a high mag mineral if I feel I need mag I just top dress my normal mineral with it or add it to the salt
I seldom feed hi mag mainly because I calve in the fall

 

[Kingfisher]

Ryan I don't see a problem with anything you're doing other than I would move those tubs away from the water source.

Good morning. Ya'll getting any rain? Please tell me again why you suggest positioning the tubs away from the water source? Thanks in advance.

No rain here..heck it's not even cloudy right now. Hopefully we'll get some latter in the week. If tubs are located too close to a water source the cattle will eat, get a drink and repeat often. Locating them farther away not only helps control intake but also encourages more complete grazing between the feed source and the water source. I'd even relocate the tubs each time I had to replace one in order to more completely utilize ALL grazing.

Thank you for your reply.